Privacy Collection Notice

Why we collect your personal information

The University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences is collecting and processing your personal information via the Sonia student management platform to:

  • coordinate and administer your enrolment and participation in University courses and programs
  • ensure compliance with any public health directions which may apply to the University from time to time
  • support compliance with third party requirements when undertaking University activities off Campus
  • inform general business analysis, quality assurance, reporting and planning activities.

The “processing" of personal information refers to all activities relating to the management of your personal information, from its collection and use, through to its storage and disposal, and everything in between.

We rely on your consent for the processing of your personal information in certain instances, and where that information includes health or sensitive information, or special category data (sensitive information), which require additional protections under relevant privacy laws.

In certain instances, as part of your studies with us, it is necessary for you to provide us with sensitive information to ensure you meet the requirements to undertake placements with third parties, to work in particular fields, or where it is a requirement to attend campus in compliance with any public health directions and University policy, for example, to minimise the risk of COVID-19 to our community.

The information requested from you includes serology, vaccination, or other relevant health records, and the results of criminal history checks or other screening processes required before you are eligible to work with vulnerable groups. Further information about these requirements is provided to you at or before the time your information is requested, as part of the enrolment and course information specific to your program of study, and on the University’s website.

How we process your personal information

We will process your personal information where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, in accordance with applicable privacy laws, and only under the following circumstances:

  • for the purpose for which it was collected; or
  • a related purpose which you might reasonably expect; or
  • where you have consented to the processing; or
  • if we are required or permitted to do so by law.

We will collect your personal information directly from you wherever possible.

The information and documentation you provide may be made available to:

  • your assigned placement provider(s), including through the use of third-party systems
  • government departments and their agents
  • contracted service providers or partners engaged by us to perform legitimate functions on our behalf, such as those outlined in this privacy collection notice.

We will collect this information directly from you and treat it as confidentially as possible. It will be held securely in University enterprise systems.

We take all reasonable steps to ensure that the interstate or overseas transfer of personal information is in accordance with our privacy obligations as outlined in the University’s General Privacy Statement.

In some instances, your personal information may be transferred outside of Victoria or Australia (for example, where service providers or placement providers are located inter-state or internationally, or use a cloud-based system with servers based in other jurisdictions).

We will hold the personal information you provide us only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which we collected it. After this period it will be securely destroyed in compliance with the University’s retention and disposal authority.

If you choose not to provide the information requested, may not be able to enrol you, provide you with your course of study, or provide you with the specific information, assistance, facilities or services that you have requested, and it may limit opportunities available to you.

Specific examples of when the University will disclose personal data to third parties

The University is required to provide the following information to Ahpra for each student in a registered health program: Title, Full name, Date of birth, Gender, Email, USI, Student ID, Residential address, course name, course commencement date, course expected completion data. By providing the University with this information, you consent to Ahpra’s collection and use of your personal information in accordance with the Ahpra collection statement for the student register and Ahpra’s Privacy Policy. Ahpra’s Privacy Policy can be accessed on Ahpra’s Privacy webpage.

Further privacy information

Refer to the University’s General Privacy Statement or other privacy statements for general information about how we process and protect personal information, including:

  • our lawful basis for processing personal information;
  • collection, use and disclosure of personal information;
  • accuracy, security and storage of personal information;
  • retention and disposal of personal information;
  • your individual rights; and
  • applicable privacy laws.

Your rights

You may request access to, or correction of, your personal information we hold, or exercise your individual rights as applicable under relevant privacy laws, unless this would have an unreasonable impact on the privacy of others or would contravene the University’s other legislative obligations.

If the lawful collection of your personal information is based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. However, this will not affect the lawfulness of our processing of your information prior to you withdrawing your consent.

Contact

For further information you can contact us on +61 3 8344 5807 or by emailing health-hub@unimelb.edu.au.

For information about how the University manages personal information, how to make an enquiry, lodge a complaint, or contact the University’s Privacy and Data Protection Officer, please refer to our Privacy webpage, view the University's Privacy Policy or contact privacy-officer@unimelb.edu.au.

Published: 29 November 2021